{You're not even aware you're such a funny pair} andy/pm

@Andronicus Lovecraft

Benji wasn’t actually sure if what he had made was a good idea or not. It was, without a doubt, going to be painful. But also ... potentially a lot of fun. He’d had a good idea of what he had wanted to make when he had owl ordered a useless set of miniature dummies. They’d been imbued with runes that served as a built in hover charm.

He’d proceeded to cast an engorgement charm and quite a few hardening charms before he started getting into the spirit of things. He patted himself on the back for the final enchantment though. A nice hurling hex to finish off what was sure to be a perfectly painful quidditch practice.

He was equal parts excited and dreading coming out of this bruised as hell but he was pretty sure Andy would appreciate the amount of effort he’d gone through to give themselves a bit of a challenge before their next match. Sure they could go the old route and just slam bludgers at each other but... this was so much more interesting. And it gave them real, moving targets. And an extra layer of danger once he released the bludgers.

Running drills, practicing all day and night, and then scrimmaging some more was pretty much all that Andronicus thought about these days. In his last year as Captain of the Slytherin House team, he was deadset and determined to leave a lasting impression. Luckily enough, he had quite a few skilled players backing him up this term, and he was sure they would take the cup come June.

Heading out to meet Benjamin had become a bit of a routine in the last few weeks, and Andronicus looked forward to whatever the other wizard had planned today. The boy was a brilliant beater, but more than that, he was inspired enough to find new and exciting ways to push them to new heights. It was a skill the wizard greatly appreciated. Andronicus might have been the captain, but Benjamin was the creative heart and soul of the Slytherin House Team.

Andy was good at being a leader because he was thoughtful, he listened to the opinions of the group, and then he led them, but he knew enough to understand that just because he had the Captain's pin didn't mean he was the most important player on the team. Like a famous beater had once said: The team could be filled with the best, all-star players in the world, but if they couldn't figure out how to work together on the pitch, they wouldn't be worth a galleon.

When Andronicus reached the pitch, ridiculously well-maintained broom in hand, he was in awe at what he saw. Half expecting to see the typical equipment chest open in the sandy center of the pitch and not much else, he was surprised to see the little dummies in diamond formations. Half silver, half green, and clearly enchanted to do all sorts of exciting things. Playing as a beater meant  Andy was used to a bit of physical violence; things got dicey on the pitch all the time, but usually only during sanctioned games. Where Benjamin was concerned, though, Andronicus knew better than to assume anything.

"What have you cooked up today, Benjamin?" Andy asked with a bright, dimpled smile. He slid his goggles down from where they had been on top of his head, and his moused brown hair fell with them. The seventh-year collected his beater's bat, mounted his broom, and hovered above the sand as he waited for an explanation and for the game to begin.

"Something extra special." he said, grinning, before joining his captain up in the air. With a flick of his wand his sent two successive cushioning charms at his Captain's chest, before he cast two on himself. They'd be somewhat protected for however long the spells managed to last. No point in not getting a little extra protection. Their pads only did so much, after all. He figured this way they could both last longer. The extra safety precaution seemed smart at any rate. He'd cast quite a few charms on the dummies so he was fairly certain they were quite durable at this point and there was really no knowing how hard they'd slide back. Plus, you know, he wanted to be able to walk out of here.

"They'll pack a punch." he warned, nodding towards the dummies. "It'll take some strength to knock them down, for sure. I'll release the bludgers in a second, but I figured the one with no dummies left, looses. Green's yours, Captain. I'll defend silver." he said with a cheeky grin as he hovered on his broom. A flick of his wand sent the bludgers into the air, and another summoned his bat. With bat in hand, and his wand safely tucked away in his holster his floated over to the silver dummies. He did a quick check, admiring his handiwork, before he got his head in the game. Andy was good so he had to be strategic about this. And part of being strategic was knowing when to make the first move. Tricky part of this was that he didn't want to leave his dummies open for attack by veering to far in search of a bludger. Flip-side of that was that if he didn't, he'd be on the defense the whole time. And while he appreciated a good defense, he'd always go for the big hit first.

With that thought in mind, Benji took a dive. There was something to be said about the simple act of flying. It was exhilarating and something he would never get tired of for as long as he had breath left in his lungs. Soon as he spotted a bludger he took a hard swing at it, using the momentum to push him forward and around. Aiming towards the right was tricky but hopefully he'd take a crack at green dummy #4 .

{targeting green dummy #4}

Rolled 1d2 : 2, total 2

Rolled 1d8 : 2, total 2

Rolled 1d6 : 6, total 6

Dummies are designated silver and green. Ben is silver and Andy is green. The goal is to protect as many of their own dummies as possible while taking down the opposing dummies. Once the dummy stops moving and the enchantments fall that means it’s down. First one with no dummies left looses. The danger lies in getting accidentally hit by a bludger yourself or getting rammed by one of your own dummies if you get too close. Each set are set up in a diamond formation with the fifth dummy in the center. Enough room to maneuver between but it’s close. Moves need to be labeled to determine which dummy is being targeted #1 starts the top of the diamond and it moves clockwise until the #5 in the center. Each dummy can take up to two hits worth 8 strength. So if you get a hit and roll a 2 you need at least one more successful hit with 6 strength for it to be out. In the event of a no hit on a dummy you can still hit each other with the last roll. Spectators are welcome after initial post!

1 d 2 determines successful hit on a dummy 2 being a successful hit
1 d 8 determines strength of hit if contact is made
1  6 determines successful hit on players if a 4 or 6 is rolled
In the event a 2, 4, and 6 is rolled you can play out a double hit (player and dummy with half strength) or a critical hit!

Something extra special. Translation: something potentially dangerous and incredibly inspiring. Andy smiled, chewing on the inside of his cheek anxiously, and waited for more instructions quietly. He loved these little scrimmages that Benjamin put together because they always pushed him to be better. Helped him use skills he might not otherwise work on. Nodding along as the other teenager explained the rules, the dummies, and the game's goal, Andy felt like he had a grasp on the concept. Enough that he was ready to play, and he'd figure out any nuances later. Protect the dummies, but don't forget to take shots, too; it made sense. And he could already see how this was going to help them both become better at playing Beater. It wasn't just about offense; defense was just as critical.

"Alright, I'm ready," He nodded, kicking off from the ground and hovering for a second. "Wanna put a galleon on it?" Because of course the Slytherin had to up the ante a little. Honing skills and potentially breaking ribs wasn't enough; the teenager had to make a bet out of it, too. As Benjamin headed off toward his set of dummies and then on the hunt for a bludger, Andronicus did the same. He did a circle around his figures, committing their positions to his memory, before looking for something he could swing on. Thankfully there were only two bludgers, not too much to keep track of, and the Dummies didn't try to outrun them, or at least, that he knew of.

Andy had been pursuing the other bludger when he heard the cracking sound of a bat making contact with a ball. He turned around sharply, racing to protect his dummy, and barely got there in time. Enough time to almost hit the bludger away, but it got past him and hit the fourth target with a little bit of force. Ricoshaying off of the dummy and smacking into Andy with what felt like ten times more force, the captain coughed and let out a howl of a laugh. "What kind of charms did you put on these things!?" He yelled across the field, following the bludger that had just hit him toward Benjamin's side of the pitch. Lining up a shot, Andy went for Dummy #1 and hit the bludger with everything he had.

[targeting dummy #1]

Rolled 1d2 : 1, total 1

Rolled 1d8 : 1, total 1

Rolled 1d6 : 4, total 4

"It wouldn't be fun if we didn't." came the tall Slytherins immediate reply. Part of him was exceptionally confident he'd win the galleon but, also, he was aware that his captain was a brilliant player. It depended on a quite a few factors, really. Ultimately he figured the added reward was an incentive that created something a little more tangible. Maybe he'd frame it or something and keep it as a memento of the time he'd beat Andy. That would be a nice way to gloat, wouldn't it? Not that he'd be too obnoxious about it. Andy was surprisingly easy-going, so he was fairly certain he'd be a good sport about the whole thing.

Bat met bludger in a solid impact, the sound setting his heart in a particularly quick pace, as he followed its trajectory. He could already tell it he hadn't managed to get the full force of his body behind it. It was well-aimed, though, so hopefully it would- ah. There was a level of satisfaction at hitting ones target. An even bigger grin made its way past his lips as he saw the bludger make its way past Andy hit and then rebound. Still, Andy was pretty quick wasn't he? He'd have to try to be quicker. "Quite few hardening charms!" he hollered back, grinning. He'd meant to make the dummies more durable but, ultimately, he'd ended up making this a little more dangerous than intended. Ah, well, it would help with reflexes, wouldn't it? If you could dodge a wrench then you could dodge a ball He hadn't anticipated quite how hard the bludgers would bounce back off the dummies. He eyed his silver ones for a second, wincing, when he realized getting hit by the dummies themselves would probably hurt quite a bit.

Well. Good thing he had bruise salve. Hopefully they didn't break anything too...vital.

Speaking of vital though he better pay attention! As soon as he heard the tell-tale thwack of bat meeting bludger Benjamin leaned forward on his broom. He flew back getting closer to dummy 1 and managed to clip the thing so that he successfully defended his dummy. Only with the tight angle the thing hit him instead. He could already feel the dull throb on his thigh and he mentally applauded Andy before diving right in and giving the aforementioned bludger a sound thwack. He needed to push his body into it!

(Green Dummy #4: 2 dmg; 6 left. Both boys got hit! Minimal pain.)

(targeting dummy #4)

Rolled 1d2 : 2, total 2

Rolled 1d8 : 7, total 7

Rolled 1d6 : 5, total 5

Having hit the bludger successfully back in Benjamin's direction, Andy let out a whoop of excitement, the beater's bat flailing enthusiastically in a circle around his head. This game was more fun than he had imagined it would be, even though parts of his body were already throbbing. Andronicus resigned to the fact that they'd probably both have to make a visit to the Hospital Wing after this and let out an adrenaline-filled laugh. Brown eyes watched closely as the bludger was knocked away from the dummy he'd targetted but managed to get its payment by colliding with Benjamin instead. "Ooh," Andy winced, knowing that had to hurt and then to lean into his broom to prepare himself to protect his dummies. Soon enough, he heard the telltale whack, and Andy gunned for the side of the dummies he thought was being targetted, his mind falling into some sense of rhythm. Andronicus had assumed that the next hit would be on the opposite side than the last like one might expect from a tennis match, but he had been inescapably wrong.

Realizing it a second too late, Andronicus wasn't able to cross back to the other side, and soon enough, Dummy #4 was down for the count. Andy watched in both amusement and disappointment as it sank dramatically to the ground. "Nice hit!" Andy announced, knowing he had to work that much harder now to win. And as much as he was a team player and wanted to have a good game, Andy couldn't fight back that part of his brain that had to be the winner. Being the Captain, and Slytherin on top, made for quite a potent combination of competitiveness. And not even newly enlightened, 'working-on-being-a-better-person' Andy could resist.

"I'll get you next time!" He called out, winding back and putting everything he had into his next shot. This time Andronicus had a lot more follow-through, the adrenaline and the idea of losing pushing him forward with explosive energy.

[Green dummy #4 is out~!]

[Targetting Silver dummy #2]

Rolled 1d2 : 1, total 1

Rolled 1d8 : 2, total 2

Rolled 1d6 : 6, total 6

"Yes!" the tall Slytherin cheered, grin firmly in place, as he watched the dummy he'd been targeting take a dive towards the ground. There were few things as satisfying as a successful hit. Most of the time he didn't really focus on hurting anyone during Quidditch so much as making sure his team was well protected. In his mind that meant hurting the opposing team and while he didn't really aim to injure them too severely it was just a part of the game. He didn't gain enjoyment out of meteing out pain so much as the successful completion of a good play. The adrenaline always helped, of course. "Thanks!" he hollered back at his Captain. The older Slytherin had almost gotten there in time but hadn't been fast enough to figure out what his tactic was.

Ben had a tendency to thrive in terms of a competitive environment, and he could tell the turn was coming. He dove quickly managing to get to the dummy being targeted and barely clipping the bludger. "Merlin!" he hissed, as the bludger dragged across his forearm, but slid harmlessly away from the dummy. The angle hadn't been the best but it was hard not to put your body between a bludger and something solid. "I think you just like hitting me!" he yelled, laughing through a wheeze, as he shook his arm out in an effort to stave off any tenderness or encroaching stiffness. The game wasn't over, after-all. He was only ahead by a single dummy and he wasn't cocky enough to assume that put him too much ahead of Andy. Honestly he probably wouldn't feel safe until all of the green dummies littered the Quidditch pitch ground.

Without wasting momentum Ben pitched forward on his broom, gripping the handle tightly, before spiraling down in search of a bludger. He put as much speed as he could, exhilarated as the wind whipped his face, and continuing on once he'd spotted a bludger. His arm shot out as he swung his bat, teeth rattling a bit, wood and iron met in a firm thwack. The dummy to the right was going down.

{targeting green dummy #2}

Roll: 1
Roll: 2
Roll: 1

Andy watched as Ben successfully managed to block the dummy from being hit only to catch the bludger in the arm and winced. "Sorry man!" He hollered as the wind picked up around them. As much as Andronicus loved the game, he never intentionally tried to hurt other players just for the sake of hurting them, but, like most things, Andy was just lucky. Even when he tried not to hurt his fellow teammate he ended up doing just that.

Hitting Ben more than he had the dummies Andy realized he'd have to change his tactics if he was going to win this thing. This was a lot different from a game of Quidditch, but Andy could be flexible. Thinking strategically, like it was a game of chess, Andy realized that the best course of action would be to target the dummies in a specific order. The ones furthest from the center had the least protection, so he'd go after those first.

After Benjamin took his next turn, that is, and Andy felt more prepared this time around than he had the last. He rushed the bludger as it approached the second dummy in his formation and swatted it away quickly. In that same swing, Andy managed to line up his next shot, add some oomph, and send it spiraling toward the silver dummy at the bottom.

[Targetting Silver dummy #3]

Rolled 1d2 : 2, total 2

Rolled 1d8 : 8, total 8

Rolled 1d6 : 4, total 4

Ben didn't even have enough time to actually feel much disappointment at the fact that Andy was able to successfully defend his dummy. No time because suddenly he was using that very same bludger to careen it towards one of his. With a shouted curse the tall Slytherin flew up, trying to accelerate to intercept, but did not get there in time. Instead he saw the impact of the bludger slam into the dummy in a solid hit. The dummy sailed down towards the pitch, useless, and he was close enough that the very same bludger rammed into his side.

He took a moment to center himself, cursing, when he realized his side was on fire. He gingerly ran his fingers across his ribs, relieved, when he didn't feel the tell-tale sign of something broken. He took a deep breath as a second check before he was satisfied that an immediate trip to the hospital wing was not needed. Guess the extra padding and the cushioning charm was going it job. "Bloody hell Andy!" the hollered, grinning a little despite the pain, and knowing instinctively that Andy would understand the words as the compliment it was meant as. If any hit like that during their next match, there was absolutely zero way that Slytherin would loose.

He wasn't out of the game yet, though. Steeling himself against the pain flaring against his side the Slytherin dove forward as he spotted another bludger. He took a wild swing, gritting his teeth, as he used the pain to fuel him forward. Nothing focused him so much or made him feel so present as the insistent accumulation of pain the longer games went on. Where flying made him feel weightless, injuries made him feel there, like he was in the middle of something. Like it was worth it, somehow.

{targeting green dummy #2}

Rolled 1d2 : 2, total 2

Rolled 1d8 : 4, total 4

Rolled 1d6 : 6, total 6

Andy nearly fell from his broom as the bludger rocketed into him. It had been on a collision course that was unavoidable after smashing into G2 and nearly wiping it off the pitch. Barely holding on, Andy had to force himself to ignore the searing pain shooting up from his kidney as he clung to the broom. It knocked the wind out of him, and he knew it was going to bruise something awful, but at least he hadn't plummeted into the sand. That would have been interesting to explain to Madam Pomfrey. "Nice... shot..." The captain shouted between gasps of air and raspy coughs. It took a few minutes, but he got back his strength and was even more determined to take out another of Benjamin's dummies. The game was close, and if he could secure another hit, he would be that much closer to victory.

"I'll get ya' back for that, though!" He shouted across the pitch, a little bit of that Slytherin venom mixing with adrenaline and comradery. "Not to worry," Andy finished the thought to himself, eyeing the pitch and looking for the perfect spot to attack. The dummies moved slightly as they floated, but they didn't really move positions, making it easier to target. Benjamin was the variable, and Andy was getting better at anticipating that. Finding the bludger that had nearly lost him the game, Andronicus wound back and aimed for the center dummy.

[Targetting Silver dummy #5]

Rolled 1d2 : 1, total 1

Rolled 1d8 : 5, total 5

Rolled 1d6 : 4, total 4

Ben winced as he watched Andy take a bludger to the kidney. Bloody hell that looked like it hurt. "Thanks! Also, sorry!" it would not be a bad idea to at least get the both of them checked by Pomfrey at some point, if for no other reason to make sure they hadn't broken anything important.

"I don't doubt it." he muttered to himself, flying lower, and circling his dummies for a second. What he'd learned was that if you were too close the ricochet would definitely get you. The problem was that you had to get close in order to deal with the bludger. He could try to make as much space as he could but that meant not being close enough to defend. The choice was easy. In the face of a little pain Ben still preferred to win. It was why he made his broom jutter forward quickly despite the fact that the bludger was heading at a straight angle.

He felt his bat make solid impact with the bludger and, unfortunately, also felt the exact moment it glanced the wood. It ended up coming right back towards him, ramming him right on the shoulder. Merlin but taking an iron ball to any part of you was going to be painful. You really could not escape that no matter what you did. A string of expletives left his mouth as he rubbed his shoulder. At least he'd managed to protect another dummy. He refocused his attention on Andy, narrowing his eyes a bit, when he noticed the dummy he'd decimated was still up. Well, that wouldn't do would it?

{green dummy #2 has 4pt dmg }
{targeting green dummy #2}

Rolled 1d2 : 1, total 1

Rolled 1d8 : 8, total 8

Rolled 1d6 : 2, total 2

Still feeling rough from the last hit, Andy hoped it didn't show too much. Half of being a Captain and a Beater was acting like nothing phased you, but that was a lot easier said than done when he felt like his side might explode. Maybe that was a dramatic thought, but it panged something awful, and he felt little sparks of pain shooting up his back. Deep breaths helped, but the game wasn't over, so nothing was going to help quite enough. One good thing from being hit as hard as he had been was the instant spike of adrenaline, and while Benjamin had been able to deflect the last bludger (at great personal peril), Andy had managed to block the return shot with some ease. Showing what skills he'd learned over the year, the Slytherin was able to identify where the bludger was headed and position himself in the perfect spot to block it.

And not only block it, but the energy coursing through his body also seemed to slow down time or speed up his mind, just enough to afford him the ability to line up a shot. Hitting it strongly, the pain rippled through his body as the bat made contact, and Andy winced as he followed through and aimed for that same center dummy once again. He was going to knock it out unless he got knocked out first, that is.

[Targetting Silver dummy #5]
This dice roll has been tampered with!
Rolled 1d2 : 1, total 1
This dice roll has been tampered with!
Rolled 1d8 : 6, total 6
This dice roll has been tampered with!
Rolled 1d6 : 4, total 4

Bloody hell! The tall Slytherin groaned feeling both impressed and annoyed that his shots kept getting blocked. It felt like they just kept, well, defending too well? Which was good in the grand scheme of course since he felt like he’s keeping up with his captain rather well but it also left his bruised and achy. Not that he’d show that. It was important for him to push through, especially when playing against someone who he valued the opinion of.

With a single mindedness that was not surprising Ben sprang forward, swinging his bat harshly, even as he knew he’d been too slow to move out of the way. A successful block but the bludger still glanced his side. It knocked the wind out of him a little but it wasn’t too bad in comparison. It was still, essentially, an iron ball grazing his side though.

He took a deep panting breath before he dove down in an effort to shake off the pain and the cramping that was starting up. They’d been at this for a bit and were not closer to beating each other than they had been the last half hour. It said a lot about the kind of conditioning they had and he was rather proud they were so well matched. Their competition was going to bite the big one.

{targeting green dummy #2}

Rolled 1d2 : 1, total 1

Rolled 1d8 : 8, total 8

Rolled 1d6 : 3, total 3

If only they could do this well during every single match—well, with slightly fewer injuries, anyway. Andronicus was quite proud of what they had achieved so far, even if they had managed to hit each other far more than their intended targets. The fact that both wizards were still upright and smiling said a lot about their personalities.

A common, and most likely Gryffindor-fueled, stereotype of the Slytherin house was that they tended to throw tantrums when things went sideways, but that was proved false here. Both boys had been targetted by the bludgers many times, and they were both still flying. And it was fun, despite the ache in his side that was near-constant now. Andronicus could only imagine the size of the bruise by the time they landed. Absently, he wondered if this one would resemble a continent like the one he'd worn proudly after the last Slytherin-Ravenclaw match.

"Nice hit Ben!" Andy called from across the pitch; despite the bludger hitting the other wizard in the process, it had been a solid block. Andy wondered if aiming for the center target was too easy to defend and decided to change his tactics. With a deep breath, he swooped in to block the next attack, getting the bludger out of his zone and then chasing after it to line up the next shot. Andy swung his bat in a wide arc that made it seem like he was going for one side but changed up at the very last second to target a different dummy. He hoped his deception would pay off.

[Targetting Silver dummy #1]

Rolled 1d2 : 1, total 1

Rolled 1d8 : 7, total 7

Rolled 1d6 : 5, total 5

They were going to be so bloody sore after this. He wondered if he could maneuver his broom through the castle so he didn't actually have to walk. Realistically he knew they should probably check themselves over after this, maybe stop by the Hospital wing anyway to be safe. He was high on adrenaline and most of the aches and pains were dulled but as soon as he landed he knew that wouldn't be the case anymore. Still he wasn't quite ready to stop yet. Victory hadn't been achieved and he wasn't one to leave things unfinished.

There were plenty misconceptions about the house snakes falsely perpetrated by the other three houses. He didn't blame them, necessarily, because truly some of it was warranted. He didn't appreciate some of the unflattering comparisons to notorious wizards that would remain unnamed but, well, truth was he didn't really let it deter him from his goals. He had good friends, a good family, a good life really. He could handle some idle gossip about him and his house. He didn't need to prove anything to anyone but himself. For Ben his main motivation for acting the way he did or taking action on something was purely because he wanted to.

Flying, practice, all of it he put himself through because he genuinely loved it. He knew instinctively that Andy felt the same. Which was what made it so much fun to spend time with him. They understood eachother on a level that was difficult to explain to other people. They could be different in everything else but in this they were the same. "Thanks, you too!" he called out, smiling wryly. If only he could have hit something that would have been grand. Also it would be bloody fantastic if he could not get slammed by another dummy. He was starting to get tender. At least Andy was having a similar issue so he didn't feel quite as bad. Still he really just wanted a dummy to go down.

The Slytherin jerked towards the left, taking a steep dive to refocus his thoughts, before pulling up and levelling out. It could be tricky to maneuver quickly and smoothly when holding a beaters bat, but he'd been trying to make it muscle memory for years now. It felt natural to dive, make sharp turns, and weave through the air with bat in one hand and broom handle in the other. His balance had always been good, helped along by his developing center of mass. He wasn't going to pretend that he wasn't looking forward to showing off for Orli.

Once he'd loosened his limbs a bit the tall wizard went back to actively scouting for a bludger, waiting, as Andy's came close. Since he'd put some distance from the dummies he'd been protecting he rocketed forward on his broom, letting the speed enhance his swing as he smacked the bludger as hard as he could. He impact sent tingles up his arm, and he gripped his bat harder, willing this one to knock one down completely. At this point he figured targeting a different dummy would result in a better outcome. 

{targeting green dummy #1}

Rolled 1d2 : 1, total 1

Rolled 1d8 : 2, total 2

Rolled 1d6 : 6, total 6